What does resilience in materials refer to?

Resilience in materials refers specifically to the ability to absorb energy when deformed elastically and then release that energy upon unloading. This characteristic is important in applications where materials experience fluctuating loads or impact.

The definition aligns closely with the idea of the elastic limit, which is the maximum stress that a material can withstand without permanent deformation. When a material is deformed within this elastic limit, it can return to its original shape after the load is removed, demonstrating its resilient properties.

In contrast to this, total energy absorption capacity encompasses both elastic and plastic deformations, making it broader than resilience. Resistance to deformation pertains to how much a material can withstand without changing shape, but it doesn't specifically address the energy absorption aspect of resilience. Lastly, the energy required to fracture the material relates to toughness rather than resilience. Thus, the focus on the elastic limit makes the concept of resilience clear and relevant to this context.